Heat-resistant composite material and method of making same

Abstract

Composite article, and method of producing same, comprising a heat-resistant woven fabric substrate having a continuous heat and wear-resistant coating thereon for handling hot glass articles and the like without marring same. The heat-resistant flexible composite material is formed from a tightly woven fabric such as thermoset polyaramid fibers with a continuous imperforate coating of organic-inorganic silicone resin containing a filler of heat-resistant particulate material therein adapted to withstand extensive repeated contact with newly-formed hot glass articles. As required, the flexible composite material may be used alone or as a facing for a rigid structural member formed of metal.

I claim: 
     
       1. A heat-resistant flexible composite material adapted to handling hot glass articles, and the like, comprising a tightly interwoven fabric substrate formed from fibers selected from the group consisting of organic polyaramid fibers, inorganic ceramic fibers and carbon fibers, and a continuous heat-hardened coating of organic-inorganic polysiloxane resin having a finely-divided filler of heat-resistant particulate material therein extending over the glass-contacting surface of said substrate. 
     
     
       2. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said interwoven fabric substrate consists of thermoset polyaramid fibers. 
     
     
       3. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said organic-inorganic polysiloxane resin comprises an essentially solventless non-volatile intermediate silicone resin which is heat-resistant upon curing. 
     
     
       4. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filler consists of finely-ground particulate material selected from the group consisting of carbon, graphite and iron oxide. 
     
     
       5. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filler of heat-resistant particulate material comprises a mixture of finely-ground graphite and iron oxide. 
     
     
       6. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filler of heat-resistant particulate material is present in an amount ranging from about 14 to 33 weight percent of said resin coating. 
     
     
       7. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said woven fabric consists of thermoset polyaramid fiber cloth having a thickness of not less than about 0.014 inch and said continuous coating deeply penetrates and covers the glass contacting surface of said woven fabric substrate. 
     
     
       8. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said continuous coating consists of an imperforate layer deeply penetrating the fabric substrate having a thickness ranging from about 8 to 12 mils. 
     
     
       9. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filler of heat-resistant particulate material comprises finely-ground graphite. 
     
     
       10. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said filler of heat-resistant particulate material comprises finely-ground high-melting metallic oxide. 
     
     
       11. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said organic-inorganic polysiloxane resin comprises an essentially-solventless silicone resin which is substantially hardened following heat-curing of said resin. 
     
     
       12. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said continuous coating is applied in the form of at least two separate layers prior to heat-curing of said resin to deeply penetrate the said substrate and retain appreciable flexibility of said fabric substrate. 
     
     
       13. The composite material in accordance with claim 1, wherein said resin is capable of being cured at a temperature of about 500° to 600° for a period of about one hour. 
     
     
       14. A heat-resistant flexible composite material adapted to use as conveyor belting, and the like, for handling newly-formed hot glass articles comprising a woven fabric substrate of substantial thickness consisting of tightly interwoven thermoset polyaramid fibers, and a continuous coating of essentially solventless silicone resin and an organic-inorganic polysiloxane resin having a filler of heat-resistant fine particulate material dispersed therein which is heat cured onto said substrate, said filler being selected from the group consisting of graphite, carbon and iron oxide. 
     
     
       15. A heat-resistant flexible composite material adapted to use in handling newly-formed hot glass articles, and the like, comprising a woven fabric substrate of substantial thickness consisting of tightly interwoven thermoset polyaramid fibers, and a continuous heat-cured coating of the following composition deposited on the glass-contacting surface of said substrate: 54 to 64 wt %--Methoxy Functional Reactive Intermediate Silicone Resin   16 to 30 wt %--Organic-Inorganic Polysiloxane Resin   14 to 23 wt %--Finely Divided Graphite   0 to 10 wt %--Finely Divided Iron Oxide.   
     
     
       16. A heat-resistant generally-flexible composite material adapted to use in handling newly-formed hot glass articles comprising a woven fabric substrate of tightly interwoven thermoset polyaramid fibers, and a continuous heat-cured coating of the following composition deposited on the glass-contacting surface of said substrate: 56 wt %--Methoxy Functional Reactive Intermediate Silicone Resin   24 wt %--Organic-Inorganic Polysiloxane Glass Resin   16 wt %--Finely-divided Graphite   4 wt %--Finely-Divided Red Iron Oxide.   
     
     
       17. The heat-resistant composite material in accordance with claim 16, wherein said woven fabric substrate bearing said coating is adhered to a rigid metallic backing material. 
     
     
       18. The heat-resistant composite material in accordance with claim 16, wherein said woven fabric substrate is adhered with a high-temperature resistant adhesive material to a rigid metallic backing material adapted to further working such as punching, bending and the like. 
     
     
       19. The process of making a flexible composite material adapted to long-term use for handling hot glass articles, and the like, comprising the steps of taking a substrate of tightly woven fabric of thermoset polyaramid fibers of substantial thickness, applying a continuous coating of essentially solventless silicone resin having a heat-resistant filler therein uniformly over the glass-contacting surface of said substrate, and heating the filler-containing silicone resin coating and substrate to cure said resin and permanently affix the same to said fabric substrate. 
     
     
       20. The process of making a flexible composite material in accordance with claim 19, wherein said filler-containing resin coating and substrate are heated at a temperature ranging from about 500° to 600° F. for a period of about one hour. 
     
     
       21. A process of making a flexible composite material in accordance with claim 19, wherein said least two separate layers of said continuous coating are applied successively to said substrate prior to heat-curing to ensure deep penetration of said coating into said substrate. 
     
     
       22. The process of making a flexible composite material adapted to long-term use for handling hot glass articles in accordance with claim 19, including the step of initially serving the woven fabric substrate to prescribed size and shape prior to applying and heat-curing of said coating thereon. 
     
     
       23. The process of making a flexible composite material adapted to long-term use for handling hot glass articles in accordance with claim 19, wherein said essentially solventless silicone resin comprises a non-volatile methoxy functional intermediate silicone resin. 
     
     
       24. The process of making a flexible composite material adapted to long-term use for handling hot glass articles in accordance with claim 19, wherein said heat-resistant filler consists of at least one finely-ground particulate material selected from the group consisting of graphite, carbon and high-melting metallic oxide. 
     
     
       25. The process of making a heat-resistant generally flexible composite material adapted to long-term use in handling hot glass articles, and the like, comprising the steps of severing to size and shape a substrate of tightly interwoven fabric of thermoset polyaramid fibers, applying at least one continuous coating of an essentially solventless methoxy functional intermediate silicone resin and an organic-inorganic polysiloxane resin having a finely-ground heat-resistant filler dispersed therein deposited uniformly as a thin layer over the glass-contacting surface of said fabric substrate to deeply penetrate the interstices between said fibers, and heat-curing the filler-containing resinous resin coating on said fabric substrate to permanently affix the same thereto. 
     
     
       26. The process of making a heat-resistant composite material in accordance with claim 25, including the step of adhereing said woven fabric substrate to a rigid metallic backing material with a high-temperature resistant adhesive material, and applying said continuous coating of intermediate silicone resin and polysiloxane resin to said fabric substrate.